Weaving shuttle for inserting weft threads



July 1,1910

E. H. STRAUSS WEAVING SHUTTLE FOR INSERTING WEF'I THREADS Filed July 30. 1968 :5 Shets-Sheet 1.

July 7, 1970 E. H. STRAUSS WEAVING SHUTTLE FOR INSERTING WEFT THREADS Filed July 30. 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I //III July 7, 1970 E. H. STRAUSS 3,519,026

WEAVING SHUTTLE FOR INSERTING 'WEFT THREADS Filed July 50. 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'IIIIIIIIL'l'lllll'lllllllllfl I United States Patent US. Cl. 139-12 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A Weaving shuttle for inserting weft threads in a shed of a loom; said shuttle comprising an elongated body having two side walls connected over part of its periphery, a lining for retaining the weft yarns between said side Walls and a retaining means for holding the lining within the body of the shuttle, whereby the lining can be easily removed from and inserted into said body.

This invention relates to a weaving shuttle for inserting weft threads in a shed of a loom. More particularly, this invention relates to a shuttle comprising an elongated body having two side walls connected along part of its periphery and between which a removable lining is provided for retaining the weft threads.

A method of weaving is known wherein, during operation of the loom, a plurality of shuttles is passed simultaneously through the shed. Before the shuttles pass through the shed, a piece of weft thread is passed to them, the length of the thread being suited to the width of the material to be woven. For the purpose of retaining these pieces of thread within the shuttles, the shuttles have, on their interior surfaces, a lining that can be formed of a satin-like material or similar fibrous material. The linings in these known shuttles are secured directly to the interior surfaces and cannot be readily changed.

This invention contemplates a weaving shuttle further characterized in that the lining is attached to a retaining means which includes a projection that protrudes into an opening in a side wall of the body of the shuttle and that is secured by the boundary (or peripheral edge) of the opening.

The shuttle according to the invention thus ofiers the advantage that the linings can be changed as required and in a simple manner. This is useful when, for example, a lining becomes defective, when the shuttles have to be cleaned of fibers or dust, or when the linings have to be suited to different kinds of weft thread. Furthermore, the linings can be used again should the body portion of the shuttle become defective.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to several of its embodiments and to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a loom wherein the shuttle according to the invention is used;

FIG. 2 shows an elevational view of an embodiment of the shuttle of this invention as seen from the side;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shuttle seen in FIG. 2, taken along the dot-dash line III-III;

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the retaining means used in the shuttle of FIG. 2 as seen from the side;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining means of FIG. 4 taken on the dot-dash line V*V;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a retaining means of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the shuttle of the invention in side elevation;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the shuttle of FIG. 7 taken on the dot-dash line VIII-VIII;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of yet another embodiment of the shuttle; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the shuttle shown in FIG. 9 taken along the dot-dash line XX.

In all the figures, like reference numerals designate like elements.

The loom shown in perspective in FIG. 1 serves to illustrate, by way of example, a mode of operation of the shuttle according to the present invention. The warp threads 12 run from a warp beam 11 over the guide rollers 13 and 14 and a warp monitor 15 and around a shed-equalizin roller 16. By means of a shaft arrangement (not illustrated), comprising approximately horizontal shafts, the warp threads 12 are formed into a shed directly beyond the shed-equalizing roller 16. An open shed 17 is present at the position of each pick-insertion element or shuttle 18, and a shed-change takes place between each two adjacent shuttles 18. This situation is indicated in the drawing by appropriate hatching. For the purpose of weaving, a plurality of weft pick-insertion element in the form of shuttles 18 is provided and these move simultaneously through the shed 17 one after another. The shuttles 18 are moved forward by the reed sheets 19 acting as drive elements. These elements also serve to beat up the inserted weft threads against the felt of the cloth or beat up line 20. The shuttles elements 18 are guided in the shed by the warp threads 12. Sheets 19 are built into the support arrangement 21 which is firmly secured to the frame 22 of the loom. Two worm shafts (not illustrated) are provided in the support arrangement 21 for producing the movement of the reed sheets 19. Upon rotation of the worm shafts, the reed sheets 19 are swung about an axis in such manner that each sheet 19 is moved a small amount farther in its movement cycle, relatively to the sheet positioned in front of it. The sheets 19 as a whole thereby provide a wavelike movement which progresses from right to left in FIG. 1, and which carries the shuttles 18 along through the sheds. The sheds 17 also move at the same speed from right to left. The woven material 23 is rolled on to the cloth beam 26 by way of the pull-in roller 24 and the pressure roller 25. The reference numeral 27 designates a temple shown schematically. The weft thread 29 required for the weaving is drawn from a feed bobbin 28.

Shuttles 18 are continuously supplied by a shuttle-feed means 30. At the same time, a rotor 31 continuously winds the thread 29 onto a blade (not shown) upon which the turns of the thread are formed into windings separated from each other. By pushing the shuttles 18 over the blade in a direction vertical to the position of the blade, and by drawing each shuttle away from the blade in the longitudinal direction thereof, the windings are individually passed to each of the shuttles 18.

The shuttle 18, illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, comprises a body portion having two side walls 32 and 33. These side walls 32 and 33 are interconnected over the zone 34. Along the remaining part of the periphery of the shuttle, the walls are separated from each other. The side wall 32 contains a slit-like opening or aperture 36 and the side wall 33 contains a slit-like opening or aperture 35.

Inside the shuttle is located a retaining means, comprising two carriers 40 and 41. This means is shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. The two planar carriers 40 and 41 have resilient end parts 43, 44 and 45, and 46. The planar carriers 40 and 41 each have, on their inner mutually-facing sides, a bristled or satin-like lining 48 and 47, respectively. On the outer faces of each of the carriers 40 and 41 that are free from the lining 48 and 47, there are provided projections or holding members 50 and 49, respectively. The form of these projections 49 and 50 is so selected that they fit accurately within the complementary openings and 36 in the side walls 33 and 32, respectively, of shuttle 18 and, in this position, bear against the entire boundary or peripheral edge of each of the openings 35 and 36. This arrangement can be best seen in FIG. 2.

The projections 49 and 50 are rivetted to the carriers or plates 41 and 40. The resilient elements 43, 44, 45 and 46 tend to urge the carriers and 41 away from each other. The carriers are therefore resiliently prestressed when fitted inside the shuttle 18, so that the projections 49 and 50 are continuously pressed towards the exterior of the shuttle 18 and are thus retained in the openings 35 and 36. Furthermore, depressions 51 are also provided on the outer sides of the projections 49 and 50. Instead of these depressions 51, openings can be provided passing right through the projections 49 and 50.

Due to the construction of the body (or body portion) of the shuttle 18 and the retaining means (including carriers 40 and 41), the carriers 40 and 41 can be readily inserted in the body of the shuttle as required and removed therefrom again. For the purpose of removal, the carriers 40 and 41 are pressed inwardly until the projections 49 and 50 have moved out of the openings 35 and 36, whereupon they can be pushed laterally out of the body of the shuttle. The pressing of the plates towards the interior of the body of the shuttle is opposed by the pre-stress provided by the resilient members 43 to 46. In order to facilitate the pushing out of the retaining means, particularly elements 40, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 and also, to facilitate insertion, the depressions 51, or the corresponding openings, are of advantage. By means of a small rod or the like, which is pressed into the depressions 51, the carriers 40 and 41 can be easily pushed to and fro in the plane in which they lie.

When the shuttle 18 is in use, the piece of thread of prescribed length is initially inserted as a winding between the linings 47 and 48, this insertion occurring on the right-hand side of the loom, i.e., at the point where the rotor 31 is located. As the shuttle 18 is passing through the loom, the inserted thread is continuously drawn out. The thread is drawn out between the resilient elements and 46. In FIG. 4, this thread 52 is shown in the position in which it is being drawn out. In the embodiment of shuttle 18, illustrated in FIG. 4, the resilient elements 45 and 46 thus also act as a brake on the thread.

It will be readily understood that a further embodiment of the present invention results when the carriers 40 and 41 are not resiliently supported and urged towards each other, e.g., when the elements 43 to 46 were nonresilient and when, instead, the side walls 32 of the shuttle 18 are resiliently splayed apart. In this embodiment, the carriers 40 and 41 are changed by splaying the side walls 32 and 33 so far apart that the projections 49 and come out of the openings 35 and 36. The carriers 40 and 41 can then be changed.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of retaining means which includes the two carriers 56. This figure shows a cross-section corresponding to the dot-dash line VV of FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the projections 55 are formed by appropriately bending out part of the plates 56. In this embodiment also, two linings 57 are again provided and the resilient pre-tension is provided by the resilient parts at the ends of the plates 56.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a still further embodiment. In FIG. 8, the shuttle 18, seen from the side in FIG. 7, is shown in cross-section on the dot-dash line VIII VIII. In this embodiment, the slot-like recesses '62 in the body of the shuttle are not rounded at the ends but are rectangular. For the purpose of effecting retention of the linings in this embodiment, the retaining means includes plates 60 having short portions 61 that are bent away laterally outwards at the ends of the long sides of the slot '62. These bent-away portions 61 of the 4 plates 60 come to bear against the ends of the slots 62 at the limits thereof. In this construction, those areas of the plates 60 that register with the slots 62 in the body of the shuttle can, with the exception of the bent-away portions, be completely cut out.

In the further construction shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the retaining means, including a carrier 65 containing two linings 47 and 48, is also disposed in the interior of the body of the shuttle. In this embodiment, the carrier 65 consists of a bent member of U-shaped crosssection. Each of the limbs of the U-shaped member carries one of the linings 47 and 48 on its inner face. The side wall 33 of the body of the shuttle does not have an opening. In each of the openings 66 and 67 present in the side wall 32 of the shuttle 18, however, there are located projections 68 and 69, respectively. The projections 68 and 69 are soldered onto the carrier 65. Instead of this type of construction, the projections can also be welded on or otherwise bonded thereto. Each of the projections 68 and 69 is provided with a depression 51, the purpose of which is described with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this embodiment, the projections 68 and 69 also bear flush against the boundaries of the openings 66 and 67 over the entire periphery thereof. The carrier 65 is compressed resiliently in order to be removed from or inserted into the shuttle 18.

While the novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the appended claims, it is to be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in construction and arrangement of the features shown and described may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A weaving shuttle comprising a body having two side walls that are connected over a first portion of its periphery and open over a second portion of its periphery to define an open space for receiving a weft thread through the second portion of its periphery, at least one removable lining for retaining .a weft thread between said side walls in said open space and a retaining means for holding the lining in said open space, said retaining means including a carrier capable of being easily inserted into and removed from said open space, and said lining beingattached to said carrier.

2. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which said carrier has a projection that protrudes into an aperture in one of the side walls and that is retained by the boundary of the aperture when said carrier is inserted through said second portion into the open space.

3. The weaving shuttle of claim 2 in which the projection and the boundary of the aperture bear against each other over the entire extent of the boundary.

4. The weaving shuttle of claim 2 in which the aperture is formed by a slot in one of the side walls.

5. The weaving shuttle of claim 4 in which the retaining means has a second projection and each of the projections bears against the ends of the slot at the end boundaries thereof.

6. The weaving shuttle of claim 5 in which the projections are formed by bent-away portions of a plate, each of which project through the slot.

7. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which the retaining means includes a carrier that has at least two projections, a separate aperture is provided in a side wall for each of the projections, and each one of the projections protrudes into one of the apertures and is retained by the boundary of the aperture.

8. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which at least one means is provided on the outwardly-facing side of the projection for the insertion of a tool to facilitate removal of the retaining means from the shuttle.

9. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which the projection is fitted on to the carrier.

10. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which the carrier comprises a planar element having an outwardly bent portion that forms said projection.

11. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which the carrier to which the lining is attached is formed by a flat plate.

12. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which two linings are enclosed with the body of the shuttle, each of which is supported by a carrier and each of the carriers has a projection which protrudes into an aperture in each one of the side walls of the shuttle.

13. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which two linings are enclosed within the body of the shuttle and said retaining means comprises a bent plate having a U-shaped cross-section, each of said linings being attached to one of the inner side faces of said bent plate and at least one of the limbs of the U-shaped plate having at least one projection projecting into an opening in a side wall of the body of the shuttle.

14. The weaving shuttle of claim 1 in which the side walls of the body of the shuttle are capable of being resiliently splayed apart.

15. The weaving shuttle of claim 2 in which the carrier has resiliently pre-tensioned means to urge the projection into the aperture towards the outside of the shuttle.

16. The weaving shuttle of claim 15 in which, at the end at which the weft hreads to be inserted in the shed of a loom leave the shuttle, the carrier is provided with resilient means that resiliently pre-tensions the carrier and at the same time forms part of a brake for the thread.

17. The weaving shuttle of claim 15 in which the carrier is a flat plate having resilient. means at opposite ends which provide for resilient pre-tensioning of the carrier.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Schiesser, German application No. 1,019,619, Nov. 14, 1957.

JAMES K. CHI, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 139-125, 197 

